Timeline
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Amazon.co.uk Review
When you step into a time machine, fax yourself through a "quantum foam wormhole" and step out in feudal France circa 1357, be very, very afraid. If you aren't strapped back in precisely 37 hours after your visit begins, you'll miss the quantum bus back to 1999 and be stranded in a civil war, caught between crafty abbots, mad lords and peasant bandits all eager to cut your throat. You'll also have to dodge catapults that hurl sizzling pitch over castle battlements. On the social front, you should avoid provoking "the butcher of Crecy" or Sir Oliver may lop your head off with a swoosh of his broadsword or cage and immerse you in "Milady's Bath", a brackish dungeon pit into which live rats are tossed now and then for prisoners to eat.
This is the plight of the heroes of Timeline, Michael Crichton's thriller. They're historians in 1999 employed by a tech billionaire-genius with more than a few of Bill Gates' most unlovable quirks. Like the entrepreneur in Crichton's Jurassic Park, Doniger plans a theme park featuring artefacts from a lost world revived via cutting-edge science. When the project's chief historian sends a distress call to 1999 from 1357, the boss man doesn't tell the younger historians the risks they'll face trying to save him. At first, the interplay between eras is clever but Timeline swiftly becomes a swashbuckling old-fashioned adventure, with just a dash of science and time paradox in the mix. Most of the cool facts are about the Middle Ages and Crichton marvellously brings the past to life without ever letting the pulse-pounding action slow down. At one point, a time-tripper tries to enter the Chapel of Green Death. Unfortunately, its custodian, a crazed giant with terrible teeth and a bad case of lice, soon has her head on a block. "She saw a shadow move across the grass as he raised his ax into the air." Try not to turn the page!
Through the narrative can be glimpsed the glowing bones of the movie that may be made from Timeline and the high tech computer game that should hit the market in 2000. Expect many clashing swords and chase scenes through secret castle passages. But the book stands alone, tall and scary as a knight in armour shining with blood. --Tim Appelo --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
"COMPULSIVE READING . . . BRILLIANTLY IMAGINED."
"-Los Angeles Times""
"
"THE PRESENT AND THE LONG-AGO PAST COLLIDE. . . . [as] three young historians whisk themselves back to fourteenth-century feudal France to rescue a friend-and engulf themselves in all manner of mind-blowing intrigue."
-"Chicago Sun-Times""
""[A] BIG ROLLICKING BOOK."
"-The Wall Street Journal
""EXCITING . . . CLASSIC ADVENTURE . . . [A] SWASHBUCKLING NOVEL . . . CRICHTON DELIVERS."
"-USA Today
""EXCITING . . . CLASSIC ADVENTURE . . . [A] SWASHBUCKLING NOVEL . . . CRICHTON DELIVERS."
"-USA Today
"
"-Los Angeles Times""
"
"THE PRESENT AND THE LONG-AGO PAST COLLIDE. . . . [as] three young historians whisk themselves back to fourteenth-century feudal France to rescue a friend-and engulf themselves in all manner of mind-blowing intrigue."
-"Chicago Sun-Times""
""[A] BIG ROLLICKING BOOK."
"-The Wall Street Journal
""EXCITING . . . CLASSIC ADVENTURE . . . [A] SWASHBUCKLING NOVEL . . . CRICHTON DELIVERS."
"-USA Today
""EXCITING . . . CLASSIC ADVENTURE . . . [A] SWASHBUCKLING NOVEL . . . CRICHTON DELIVERS."
"-USA Today
"
"From the Trade Paperback edition." --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
First of all, forget the dreadful film as no book could be that bad. This is an enjoyable but somewhat daft yarn that has also the usual Crichton elements of scientific hokum, goodies, baddies and a race against time. This time there are no dinosaurs or robots gone mad, but time travelling scientists out of their depth in medieval France. It's a clever combination of innocent abroad, historical romp and techno thriller and has the usual cast of 2D characters we expect from (and forgive) Michael Crichton.
This is not a history lesson and it should not be taken as a realistic portrayal of life and conflict between the dastradly English and the noble French. It is, however, an entertaining no-brainer that is ideal fodder for long flights and holidays or when you're in need of a light-weight, enjoyable thriller that will allow your brain to coast along. Great fun but not great history.
This is not a history lesson and it should not be taken as a realistic portrayal of life and conflict between the dastradly English and the noble French. It is, however, an entertaining no-brainer that is ideal fodder for long flights and holidays or when you're in need of a light-weight, enjoyable thriller that will allow your brain to coast along. Great fun but not great history.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
This book is an absolute page turner. It opens with one of the most absorbing first chapters I have ever read. An elderly man is found wandering in the desert, speaking in rhyme. There is something not quite right about him. The hospital to which he is taken discovers that the anomalies do not end with just his speech. Something is very wrong with him.
Highly inventive and compelling, the reader is reeled in hook, line, and sinker, right from the get go. A wholly plot driven book, make no mistake about it, the story revolves around a highly secretive, technological corporation, ITC, headed up by a megalomaniacal, young genius, who is tooling around with quantum physics in a way that has never before been done. Our genius is spearheading a project that is truly cutting edge. Of course, he is not doing this for the betterment of mankind. He is doing it simply because it will ultimately result in mega bucks for him, if all goes according to plan. Alas, the best-laid plans often go awry.
Cut to a group of dedicated historians who are involved in an archaeological dig, located along the Dordogne River in France. Their project, the ultimate restoration of a fourteenth century, feudal town, is very generously funded by ITC. Now why would a technological giant such as ITC be funding such a project?
This is the basic premise of the book. The use of quantum physics is applied in such a way as to access the past. Here, a group of historians find themselves with the chance of a lifetime. They can actually enter fourteenth century, feudal France and experience it themselves. There is quite an adventure in store for them.
Their reason for doing so, however, is not research. They are actually on a mission to rescue their chief historian who had ventured into fourteenth century, feudal France, using ITC's technological application of quantum physics. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, however, he found himself mired in the fourteenth century and unable to return to the present, as originally planned.
What happens to these intrepid historians will captivate the reader. Well written and thoroughly researched, those who, like me, love science fiction, as well as historical fiction, will, most likely, enjoy this book. As a devotee of medieval history, I was entranced by the historical detail contained within the novel. I also found the book somewhat reminiscent of the sci-fi television series called "Sliders", in which the concept of quantum physics is utilized in order to slide into parallel universes.
All in all, this well-written novel makes for riveting, escapist entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found that I simply could not put it down!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
A good "holiday read" that, after a slightly hesitant start, manages to step up a gear and maintain a fast pace of adventure right through to the end. Although not represented enough for my liking, Crichton's description of the science behind time travel is believably entertaining, yet it is the cruel and exciting Medieval world that the intrepid time travellers find themselves in that truly succeeds in enveloping the reader. An enjoyably gripping novel that harks back to the (good old?) days of chivalry and deceit, heroism and cowardice.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
So different from the film, should be have the same name??
I saw the film called Timeline a few years ago and thought it was a fun, lightweight but enjoyable time travel genre film. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Barry Ross
Higly entertaining
Watched the movie liked the concept so bought the audiobook, must say is so much better as some elements of the book was not in the movie and these elements made the book!
Published 12 months ago by Akira
I want a book, not a treatment for a movie!
There was a time when I looked forward to my yearly Crichton with real excitement; a treat for the beach. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mr. R Robertson
Not his best, but still entertaining;
I enjoyed Timeline when I first read it many years back, and facing a long flight to the US I purchased a new copy of the book at the airport after making the dumb fool mistake of... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Koncorde
Better than the film
Great story. Technical descriptions better than average. After such a good read was looking forward to the film but found the book much better.
Published on 10 Dec 2009 by R. Hart
A Muddled Concept in a Muddy World
On the surface, the idea for this book looks both plausible and filled with potential for high adventure. Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2009 by Patrick Shepherd
book review
Timeline by Michael Crichton (Book Review)
This book was published in paperback by Arrow in 2006. It is a science fiction thriller that has since been made into a movie. Read more
This book was published in paperback by Arrow in 2006. It is a science fiction thriller that has since been made into a movie. Read more
Published on 29 May 2009 by Annette Dunlea Irish Author
Timeline
Timeline is a brilliant novel that puts a realistic view of time travel. The story builds brilliantly from scientific knowledge to a really great adventure. Read more
Published on 18 Feb 2009 by Mr. S. D. Linthwaite
the future is the past
Read this and saw the movie. I would have to say some part of the story were not the same as to most of the movie-book titles. Read more
Published on 1 Aug 2008 by SKYW4LKER
Excellent, entertaining read
This is first Michael Crichton book I've read. I got it as a present, and took a while to get round to reading it.
I'm sorry I did, because it's an excellent read. Read more
I'm sorry I did, because it's an excellent read. Read more
Published on 7 July 2008 by Steven Brown
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